Graduate Toolkit

Gain work experience and skill development to enhance your CV

As you’re applying for graduate jobs, it's important to continue to boost your employability, CV, and confidence. There are different ways to do this, both before and during the application process to help you stand out from the crowd.

Remember, it’s never too late to develop your skills and experience. First-hand experience allows you to explore whether you have the ability and interest to perform well in a role. You also learn more about the organisation, its people and working culture, which helps you evaluate whether you are likely to enjoy working there.

Work experience

Work experience can help you to develop valuable skills and experience to showcase on your CV. As well as an opportunity to earn money, it can give you the opportunity to try out possible career ideas and make new connections. Get some useful tips on work experience options:

Other ways to gain work experience could include:

Internships

You can boost your CV by taking part in a short internship. This experience will provide you with new skills and relevant experience to include in your CV: 

Virtual internships share many similarities to in-person internships. The key difference is that you can complete virtual internships from home and access opportunities from across the globe. They offer you invaluable experience to add to your CV after you have graduated. Some useful resources for virtual internships are:

  • Forage – Forage offer free virtual work experience with partnered companies.
  • Bright Network Internship Experience – Internship Experience with Bright Network is a 3-day virtual internship programme which takes place every summer.

Online courses

A variety of online courses, which are often free or cheap, are available via the following sites. These are a great way to develop additional skills and enhance your CV: 

Volunteering

Volunteering is an effective way to develop relevant work experience, increase your confidence and network.

Some useful websites for first points of contact:

Unitemps

Securing a part time job can help you gain valuable work experience and develop transferable skills. Unitemps advertise flexible work opportunities within the University, offering you work experience within Higher Education.

Unitemps is a nationwide franchise and therefore, there might be a Unitemps office local to your hometown. Your local Unitemps branch can provide opportunities that are local to you.

Benefits of working through Unitemps

  • Gain transferable skills that employer's value
  • Get experience to make a head start on your career
  • Earn some money to support your living costs
  • Complete flexibility – you choose when you work
  • Accrue holiday pay with every hour you work.

How do I apply for jobs through Unitemps?

You can search and apply for current jobs with Unitemps by submitting your CV and cover letter through the online application portal

Opportunities

Look for other opportunities to develop your skills through competitions, prizes and awards, as well as by attending online or in-person employer events – not only will you gain useful experience to add to your CV, you’ll be able to network with employers with vacancies available right now, as well as hear from alumni in sectors/roles you’re interested in.

You will also be able to attend our Festival of Careers and the full range of employability workshops taking place as part of the festival. These will provide you with a fantastic opportunity to gain invaluable exposure to professional networks. You will gain advice from professionals who have experience of dealing with applications and recruitment processes, within the field of your interest. You can attend the full event calendar of sessions including; inspirational career talks, employability workshops led by employers, application support sessions and so on. You can attend these sessions both in person and have access digitally, depending on your preference.

Make sure you login to your graduate MyCareers account to see these opportunities.

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